Souls within the Corrupted
by alpine992
Summary: Having witnessed something incredible as a child, Leone finds a boy at the source of power with orange hair. How will Ichigo grow in this new world along side Leone in the Capital City? Will the powers from both his Mother and Father arise within him as he grows in such a corrupt world? Will he fight for the Empire or fight for the Rebellion? Up for Adoption!
1. Chapter 1

The explosion that rocked the entire Imperial city and blinded the night sky was the most intense thing the young blonde girl had ever seen. Leone had been watching from the small window in complete awe at the raw power she could feel all the way from within the whore house where she had spent the last few years growing up.

Leone wasn't one of the girls but the owner of the business, Martin said in a few years she'd start having to pay her way, she had already begun to talk to one of the owners of the massage parlours about work. It wasn't the best job around but it was a job. It wasn't easy for orphans to grow up in the Imperial City, especially in the lower slums of the corrupt and rotten city.

Rushing over to the door she peeked out through one of the cracks in the rotting wood, noticing that the explosion had awoken some of the ladies of the establishment. Leone quickly moved away from her door and made her way to the window, opening it and climbing out onto the rooftop, the already shattered tiles falling away from her feet.

Grinning at the thought of a new adventure she ran the familiar path across the rooftop, being only nine she saw everything as fun. She knew the dangers of the Imperial city for sure, you didn't grow up here and not know the dangers. She knew to avoid the guards at all costs as they were corrupt and would beat you more then the thugs if they got the chance.

Racing across the makeshift walkways lining the tops of building used by kids who lived on the streets she grinned, the strange feeling the light gave her wasn't like anything she'd felt before. It felt strong, so strong that she was drawn to it. She knew it was risky to venture out so late at night, the guards picked on anyone they saw in the later hours as there were less witnesses to deal with but her curiosity had gotten a hold of her now and she was already approaching the where the light had appeared, it now having vanished.

Stopping on the edge of a building she looked over to see a massive crater in the town square where she usually pick pocketed a few merchants so she could eat, having gained the skills from other kids around the slums.

What shocked her the most was that in the centre of the crater was a boy, no older then she herself was. Looking around trying to see any sight of nearing guards, she knew they'd be on their way and soon. Biting her thumb as she looked at the boy she moved to the side of the building and climbed down the side of using an array of pipes into an alley way. Sticking her head out to make sure the coast was clear she ran forward towards the crater. Climbing down the few feet to the crater floor she saw that the boy was unconscious, fearing the worst she immediately rushed over to him and tried to find any signs of life in the limp body.

Lifting him up, his body going limp in her arms made tears spring in the corners of her eyes, never having witnessed somebody die, the owner of the whore house was a brute and a criminal but he still understood that she was young and didn't know how cruel this world was and kept her away from the majority of the corruption.

Blood was running down the side of the boys face, his orange hair darkening from the crimson liquid. Leaning down she placed her ear to his chest, hoping to find any signs of life. Hearing the slow thump of the boy's heart beat her eyes widened and a large smile came to her face as she hugged the boy, thankful that he wasn't dead.

Hearing shouts in the distance the blonde girls head shot up in fear as she started to hear the heavy footsteps of a large patrol of guards heading towards them. She tried to shake the boy awake but there was no response from him. Gripping him underneath the arms she pulled him towards the edge of the crater, slipping a few times before managing to get both of their bodies up onto the side walk.

Seeing the light from torches approaching she swallowed nervously and pulled the boy across the ruined market square to the alley she had first climbed down into. Hiding herself and the boy behind a few crates she peered around the side to see the infamous newly instated Captain Ogre leading the squad of guards, barking orders for them to search the area. Managing to pull the boy up onto her back she began to make her way away from the guards.

It was difficulty for her to to walk while trying to hold the boy now resting on her back, his weight wasn't overly heavy but she hadn't had much experience in lifting heavy things and from lack of regular sustenance, her strength was below that of a normal healthy child. But even so the young blonde girl was adamant about saving this boy and so made her way through the slums, stopping to make sure the guards hadn't found them.

The trip took more then an a full hour and when she stumbled up to the retired doctors door the moon was already gone waiting for the sun to rise up and take it's palce. The doctor was a former Imperial army medic that was a deserter who hid in the Slums right under the Empire's nose. Exhausted the blonde girl rose her hand up and banged on the door, the weight of the boy becoming to much as she leaned up against the wall trying to reposition him on her back once more. Slamming her hand against the door again she called out.

"Doc! You in!" She didn't care for silence, for the neighbours that might cause trouble for being awoken so early in the morning, all that mattered was saving the boy. She saw herself as an older sibling to the younger orphans in the slums being one of the oldest that hadn't been conscripted into the army, been killed because they were careless in their actions or thrown in jail for being caught for crimes they needed to commit to survive. Beating her small fist against the wooden frame for what seemed like a lifetime the door finally opened making her gasp.

"Leone! What in heavens are you doing here?" The dark haired man inquired only to see her pleading look and the bleeding youth on her back. Looking around the empty street wandering if anyone was watching he stepped to the side and ushered her in to which she didn't hesitate, moving through the familiar run down house to where the Doc kept his patients. Turning her back to the bed she let the boy slip from her back. "What happened?" The doctor questioned entering the room as Leone moved the boy into the bed.

"I don't know, their was a massive burst of light, I saw it from my window and when I went to check it out, this kid was in the crater that was left behind." The doctor walked to the bedside, examining the boy in the yellow rain coat. The blood running down the side of his face obviously from a severe head wound, it would need tending to if the blood staining the boys face was any evidence.

"Take of his coat, I need to see if there are any other injuries to deal with." Leone immediately nodded her head, having helped the doctor several times when she had brought some of the children that had minor scuffles with one another that had gotten out of hand or when a guard had been to rough and left them wounded.

Taking the coat off and throwing it to the side she saw the boy in weird clothes, a large patch on his shirt soaked red with blood, where hers was simply rags made of random cloth patched together, his were more civilised, as if wealthy but even so the style of clothing she had never seen before. The doctor wasn't phased by his style of clothing such as Leone had been and immediately started checking the boy for any other wounds that may have been inflicted.

Running his fingers up the boys side feeling for broken ribs he stopped with wide eyes feeling several broken... however the bones were reshaping, he could feel them moving beneath the skin. Eyes wide he lifted the boys shirt and Leone stared with wide eyes as a large hole covered in blood began to close right before their eyes.

"This is impossible." The doctor stated as he watched the wound close before his eyes, the bones re-knitting beneath the skin visible as they moved back into place. Leone stared wide eyed at the boys healing, never having seen anything like this. Having broken her arm when she was six she knew how long it took for bones to mend, for injuries to heal. They just didn't happen like this.

"What's happening?" Leone questioned.

"I don't know." The doctor spoke as bells rang out into the morning air, both Leone and the doctor rose their heads to the sound. "You must return, you know how Martin gets when you sneak out at night." Leone pouted at him. "Don't give me that, I'd rather not have to heal your lashes again." Leone simply nodded and cast a glance at the boy. "You can see him when he's better."

"I'll come back in a few hours." Leone told him with a grin and headed for the door.

"Leone... don't mention this to anyone." The doctor told her and she turned and looked over her shoulder giving the man a slight nod before rushing from the doctors house and towards the whore house. She knew she'd be in trouble if Martin caught her sneaking out again. The doctor walked to the door and quickly locked it before returning to the boys side, the bones finishing their healing and hidden once more beneath the skin.

Raising a hand up he opened the eyelid of the boys right eye only to find it pure black which only rose more confusion, all his vitals from what he could tell were fine, the healing was perfect not even leaving scars in their wake. Taking a syringe from a tray he pushed the needle up against the boys arm only for the needle to snap as the boys veins glowed a vibrant blue beneath the skin.

"What are you boy." The doctor said allowed as he watched the boys veins disappear within the skin, the syringe not even having left a mark. "I've seen some strange phenomenons in my life... but nothing ever like this, or in someone so young." He let out a sigh as he lowered the boys shirt and pulled a blanket up and over him, a pain expression on what should be a peaceful boys face.

From what he could tell... the strange power that had snapped his needle hadn't been activated the time that his wounds had been inflicted upon him meaning he hadn't awoken them, the healing was another query, was it activated upon his life being in danger or a cause completely different. The doctor had served in the Imperial army for many years, witnessed many Teigu in effect but never had he heard of such healing Teigu... or such a defensive one. He wasn't even sure that this... was a Teigu.

Taking a pen and pad he began to write down everything he had witnessed since Leone had brought the boy to him, perhaps there was more to him then simple healing and defence. If there was... handing him over to the Empire might even be enough to clear his desertion and let him live in peace, instead of constant fear of being found by the Empire and being brought to the Torture chambers.

Sighing... he shook his head, he didn't have that right and even if he did hand him over to the Prime Minister, he doubt he'd escape unharmed. The boy didn't deserve to be handed to the Empire simply because an old man wanted peace in his final years and if the slowly growing rebellion were to succeed they may need the boy. From what the man could tell, the boy had an air of destiny surrounding him.

* * *

><p>Leone dashed through the crowds of people, a grin on her face as she pushed people away, shouts were left in her wake as people called after her. She was in such a rush she didn't even bother to pick pocket a rather fat man with a hefty bag of coins easy for the picking. As she ran towards the doctors house she could remember the feel of the power of that strange light she had seen, wondering if the boy had anything to do with it. His healing had been incredible to say the least, never having witnessed something like that before.<p>

She thought it was so cool and could only hope he was awake so that she could ask him to go and play... the mind of a child was so simple even in a corrupt place such as the Empire's Capital.

Stopping behind a large crowd of people, Leone realised that they were all staring at the market place that had been where she had found the boy she began to try and force her way through the crowd. However a man in front of her began to push her to the side but not before she was able to latch onto his hand with her teeth making him shout in protest as she simply gave him a bloody smile in return before dashing off around the crowd and up onto a set of crates where she was able to see past the gathered people.

Guards were every where, a few civilians in the courtyard being asked questions. She found it boring, the only thing that caught her eyes was the crater itself, larger then what she had first imagined it to be in the dark. Figuring there was nothing new to find she decided to head for the doctors house once more.

Opening the door and strolling in like she owned the place the nine year old placed her hands upon her hips and looked around, the house appeared to be empty. Frowning she poked her head in the room where the boy she had brought should be and smiled as she saw him still sleeping peacefully.

"He hasn't awoken." The voice made her jump slightly at the sound of the doctor, turning she looked up at him to see him reading over the notes he had been working on after she had left. "I'm not even sure that he will." The doctor continued as the two entered the room where the sleeping boy was.

"What do you mean you're not sure, he healed up right? There shouldn't be anything wrong with him now." Leone told him, simply making the doctor shake his head.

"The body itself is intact, but look here." The doctor started as he rose the boy's eyelids once more. Leone stared at the black iris before a yellow pupil rolled forward making her jump back only for the boy's mouth to open and a yawn to escape him before he sat up. The doctor took a step back, shocked that the boy had suddenly awoken, not sure why he hadn't awoken the other times that he had checked the boys eyes to see if they were a normal colour. As the boy opened his eyes the doctor watched the darkness fade from them to reveal brown eyes.

"Where am I?" The boy questioned looking around with a tired expression on his face, noticing the young girl smiling brightly at him as she stood next to the bed he was in, the doctor writing more in his notes as he continued to watch him. "Who are you people?"

"I'm Leone!" The blonde girl introduced herself with a wide smile. "I brought you to Doc." She continued to grin at him. "What's your name?"

"I'm..." The boy winced raising a hand up to his his head, the doctor realising it was where the blood had originated from. "I'm Ichigo." Ichigo looked around the room, trying to see anything familiar but found nothing, only his yellow rain coat that he had been wearing when his mother had gone to pick him up from the dojo...

Images immediately flashed through his mind, the events of everything that had happened after his mother had arrived at the dojo, the car splashing water over him as he walked down the street beside his mother, how they held hands on their walk home. The girl by the river and how he had tried to help her only for everything to fade away and for him to awake to find his mother's body with the shadow of a monster in the darkness... then nothing but pure anger, sorrow and pain as everything went white.

"Leone." The doctor started placing a hand on the girls shoulder making her look up at him. He simply pulled her away from the boy as he started crying, his mother was dead and it was his fault. Ichigo began to cry rising his knees up to his chest and hugging them, burying his face into his knees. Leone looked up at the doctor who was simply watching the boy before she pulled out of his grip and sat on the bed before she hugged Ichigo close to her, knowing the cries of a child that had lost everything, she herself having cried those same tears and having helped other orphans who shed similar ones.

The doctor sat down at his desk, mulling over the notes he had written up, occasionally glancing back at the two. It took a while for the boy to calm down, Leone humming a soft tune to calm him. Scratching his brow he sighed, he didn't know what to do with this kid. He was an enigma that was for sure, if the rumours floating around the city were anything to go by the strange burst of light that could be seen over the entire capital was all because... of him.

"Are you hungry?" Leone questioned unwrapping her arms from around him after hearing his stomach rumble, Ichigo simply lowered his gaze making her smile softly at him before placing a hand in his orange hair. "Don't worry! I'll go pick you up something! Everything will be fine! Doc look after him till I get back." The doctor simply nodded as he turned to see Leone rush out of the room. The boy sat silently on the bed, his head down, his hair covering his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" The doctor questioned but didn't get a response. "If you're appetite's up I guess you're feeling a bit better. Do you know what happened to you?" He tried to question but all he got was a slow rise of the boys shoulders signalling a shrug. "Do you know where you are?"

"No..."

"You're in the Empire's Capital City." The doctor explained. "Leone found you in the market square where it would seem you've caused quite a bit of commotion."

"I didn't do anything." The boy replied, pulling his knees up to his chest. "I wanna go home."

"Can you tell me where that is?"

"Karakura Town... the Kurosaki Clinic." Ichigo said softly, his eyes still covered by his hair. "Dad's a doctor." The man scratched at his nose, never having heard of this... Karakura Town before. Trying to think of any places that may have had such a name, even in his travels in the army he had never been to a place or heard of a place know as Karakura Town.

"Do you remember how you came to be here?" The doctor questioned but the boy shook his head making the doctor sigh. The door to the room opened back up and Leone popped her head in with a smile as she saw Ichigo. Walking over to him she gave him a sandwich which he took, offering a small smile which she returned. The two ate as the doctor continued to try and figure out what to do with the boy, he couldn't keep him here he was a doctor not a baby sitter. He had no idea where to send him and he doubted the boy would know the way back to this Karakura Town.

"So Doc, what's going to happen?" Leone questioned looking up from her sandwich, the doctor rubbing his brow.

"He can't stay here, and I don't know the place where he is from. It's not in the Capital and it's not any town that I've heard nearing the Capital either." The doctor explained to her, the nine year old giving him a confused glance. "He needs a place to stay otherwise he'll be out on the street."

"He can't stay here?" Leone questioned.

"I have my own priorities Leone, I'm a doctor, I can't babysit him. You told me you're looking for work recently right?" Leone nodded her head. "Well, get him to help you out there then rent a room off Martin until you can rent a proper room."

"I guess that could work." Leone nodded. "Ok Ichigo! You're coming with me!" She grinned at him.

"I wanna go home." Ichigo told her making her frown.

"We'll search for your home and ask anyone that might know where it is. I don't know how long it'll take but I'll take care of you." The blonde grinned at him. "So, let's go! I want to show you the city, we'll also have to go see about some work for us." Ichigo frowned softly but nodded his head as she gripped his hand and pulled him from the bed. "Thanks Doc, catch you later!" Leone called out pulling Ichigo from the house.

"Good luck." The doctor called after them.


	2. Up for Adoption!

**Up For Adoption!**


End file.
